A brief comparison of e-government solutions in Estonia and Switzerland

The study that has been coordinated by Prof. Dr. Alexander Trechsel of Zurich-based consulting firm xUpery draws a comparison between the evolution of Switzerland and Estonia as digital societies over the past twenty years. The report is co-authored by political scientists Dr. Maarit Ströbele and Nele Leosk.

The study highlights the necessary elements for a successful implementation of e-government applications and addresses issues often associated with low user adoption rates. According to the report, the successful delivery of digital public services begins with full political support for enabling technologies, relies on the fostering of strong public-private partnerships to develop efficient and user centered services in an iterative manner and, finally, requires a clear strategy and timeline to introduce digital identities for every citizen.

Prof. Alexander Trechsel said about the outcome of the study: “The study has revealed the particular strengths of Estonia’s approach, which made the country a poster child for e-government. Our research also shows that, despite having the reputation of being one of the most innovative countries, Switzerland so far hasn’t sufficiently seized the opportunities of digitization in the public sector.”

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